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Mentally Handicapped People
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provision exists for the profoundly mentally handicapped aged 16 years and over in (a) hospitals and (b) in specialist residential facilities within the community.
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Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 17 April 1991] : Information on the detailed provision made for particular categories of mentally handicapped persons is not centrally available.Nursery Education
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the revenue costs of making the provision of nursery education a statutory responsibility of local authorities.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 17 April 1991] : On the assumption that the present proportion of part and full time nursery school places is maintained, and using current unit costs, it is estimated that the total annual revenue cost of providing nursery education for all three and four-year-olds would be around £124 million.
Lothian Health Board
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (1) the number of people on the waiting list for operations or procedures in the Lothian health board area in (a) acute specialties, (b) general surgery and (c) orthopaedic surgery in each month from October 1990 to March 1991 ;
(2) the number of people on the waiting list for operations or procedures in the Lothian health board area for (a) ear, nose and throat surgery, (b) ophthalmology, (c) urology, 8d) dentistry, (e) general medicine, (f) dermatology, (g) respiratory medicine, (h) paediatric surgery, (i) gynaecology, (j) neurosurgery, (k) cardiothoracic surgery and (l) neurology in each month between October 1990 and March 1991 ;
(3) how many people were on the waiting list for operations in all specialties in the Lothian health board area in each month from October 1990 to March 1991.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 29 April 1991] : The latest available information is set out in the table below :
Waiting lists<1>
December 1990
|Total number
-------------------------------------------------
Acute specialties |11,065
General surgery |2,715
Orthopaedic |1,285
Ear, nose and throat |2,473
Ophthalmology |1,321
Urology |1,202
Dentistry<2> |309
General medicine |326
Respiratory medicine |-
Dermatology |20
Surgical paediatrics |392
Gynaecology |1,004
Neurosurgery |231
Cardiothoracic surgery |281
Neurology |74
All specialties |13,589
<1>Total in-patient and day case.
<2>Includes orthodontics and paediatric medicine
and oral surgery and oral medicine.
Elective Coronary Surgery
Mr. Eadie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Midlothian, of 17 April, Official Report , column 193 , if he is yet in a position to announce his decision on whether to allocate more funds for elective coronary surgery in the Lothian health board area.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 29 April 1991] : Negotiations are currently taking place with the health boards concerned about the activity level and funding requirements for major cardiac surgery in 1991-92.
Council Tax
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in relation to his statement made on 23 April 1991 on the proposals for a council tax, how many domestic properties in (a) the city of Aberdeen district and (b) Aberdeen constituency fall into each band in his banding system ; on what date the valuations were made ; and by whom.
Mr. Allan Stewart [holding answer 30 April 1991] : For the purposes of the illustrative council tax calculations it was estimated that the numbers of properties in the city of Aberdeen district falling into bands A to G were as follows :
Band |Number of
|properties
---------------------------------
A |20,071
B |13,685
C |13,685
D |12,773
E |11,860
F |9,123
G |10,036
The estimate of the distribution
of the properties by capital
values was based on information
provided by the Inland Revenue
valuation office as part of an
exercise which began in early
March. No estimates are
available on a constituency
basis.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Child Benefit
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much it would cost in total for a full year to restore child benefit for (a) the first child, (b) the second child and (c) all children to its value (i) in 1979 and (ii) in 1987.
Mr. Jack : On the basis of the latest estimates, the gross additional costs in 1991-92 of paying child benefit at its April 1979 value in real terms--£9.90 a week--would be (a) £585 million, (b) £540 million and (c) £1,345 million. The corresponding net costs after adjustments to national insurance and income-related benefits are (a) £415 million, (b) £395 million and (c) £950 million. The gross additional costs of making payment at the April 1987 real-terms value (£9.55) would be (a) £460 million, (b) £470 million and (c) £1,120 million. The corresponding net costs are (a) £325 million, (b) £345 million and (c) £790 million. These costs do not take account of the increases in child benefit from next October, at a cost of around £210 million in 1991-92, which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget statement.
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Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the full-year cost of raising child benefit in October to £9.55 a week for all children, assuming a corresponding increase in income-related benefit allowances for children.Mr. Jack : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 30 April 1991.
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the total cost of child benefit in each year since 1979 in cash and real terms ; and what that figure would be if it had been uprated in line with inflation.
Mr. Jack : The costs are contained in the table :
Year |Cash value |Equivalent |Notional
|value at |Expenditure<1>
|1990-91 prices
|(£ million) |(£ million) |(£ million)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |2,787 |6,026
1980-81 |2,944 |5,379 |3,000
1981-82 |3,372 |5,619 |3,700
1982-83 |3,660 |5,694 |3,900
1983-84 |3,988 |5,930 |4,100
1984-85 |4,276 |6,051 |4,200
1985-86 |4,468 |5,997 |4,400
1986-87 |4,513 |5,854 |4,600
1987-88 |4,598 |5,663 |4,800
1988-89 |4,515 |5,175 |4,900
1989-90 |4,537 |4,889 |5,300
1990-91 |4,636 |4,636 |5,900
1991-92 |<2>5,286 |4,940 |<3>-
<1> Notional expenditure represents estimated expenditure in the financial
year, had benefit levels at the appropriate uprating dates reflected the
movement in the RPI from April 1979 up to those dates.
<2> Estimated costs including October 1991 increases.
<3> Relevant RPI figure not yet available.
Income Support
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in receipt of state pension who previously received income support are now ineligible for income support as from 6 April for (a) Bristol, South, (b) Bristol, East, (c) Bristol, (d) South West region and (e) nationally.
Miss Widdecombe : Income support rates increased from 8 April 1991. The estimated number of income support claimants receiving state pensions who, following the uprating, are no longer eligible for income support is 45,000. However, the extra £80 million directed to younger pensioners at the recent uprating helped another 105,000 to retain their entitlement.
Estimates are not available for the Bristol area or the South-West region.
Pensioners whose incomes are above the level of income support can, of course, claim other benefits such as housing benefit or community charge benefit. They can also apply for help with optical, dental and other charges under the NHS low income scheme.
Source : Modelled using data drawn from the 1989 annual statistical inquiry, uprated to 1990-91 prices and benefit levels. Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners have been taken out of income support arising from the April 1991 pension increase.
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Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 18 April 1991] : The number of claimants who no longer qualify for income support as a direct result of the recent increase in retirement pension is 40,000. If income support for couples receiving the ordinary pensioner premium had continued to exceed full basic retirement pension levels this number would be reduced only by about 1,000. The extra £80 million directed to younger pensioners at the recent uprating helped another 105,000 to retain their entitlement.
Pensioners whose incomes are above the level of income support can, of course, claim other benefits such as housing benefit or community charge benefit. They can also apply for help with optical, dental and other charges under the NHS low income scheme.
Source : Modelled using data drawn from the 1989 annual statistical inquiry, uprated to 1990-91 prices and benefit levels. Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people on income support broken down into (a) lone parents and (b) others, are working between 16 and 24 hours a week.
Miss Widdecombe : We estimate that approximately 60,000 people are receiving income support and working between 16 and 24 hours a week. Of these, about 30,000 are lone parents.
Source : Modelled on data drawn from the 1985-86-87 family expenditure surveys.
Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answers of 7 March, Official Report , column 281 , when he expects to be in a position to place in the Library the figures for claims and payments for cold weather payments in respect of the February cold snap ; and if those figures will be broken down by region and constituency and by category of claimant eligibility.
Mr. Scott : Information relating to the 1990-91 period is still incomplete as claims are allowed up to three months after the cold weather period. Statistical information for the whole winter period will be placed in the Library as soon as it becomes available. This information has been collated by region up to and including March 1991 and by district office from April 1991 onwards. It cannot be broken down by constituency or category of claimant eligibility.
National Insurance
Mr. Forman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the additional yield in a full year from abolishing the upper earnings limit for employees' class 1 national insurance contributions.
Mr. Jack : If the upper earnings limit for employees' national insurance contributions were abolished, it is estimated that contribution yield would increase by some £2.5 billion a year.
Carers' Allowance
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to make the carers' allowance available to people over the age of 59 years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : Invalid care allowance is the main social security benefit for carers. It is intended to help to
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maintain the income of someone who gives up the opportunity of full-time work to provide substantial and regular care to a severely disabled person. It is not normally available to people after they reach pension age but, subject to the overlapping benefit rules, it continues to be payable beyond pension age to people entitled beforehand. We have no plans to change these arrangements.Management Consultants (Fees)
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total sum paid out in fees by his Department to management consultants in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his estimate for 1990-91 and budget for 1991-92.
Mr. Jack : The estimated expenditure from 1984-85 onwards on fees and expenses for management consultants on social security matters is in the table.
The figures are approximate since expenditure up to and including the 1988- 89 financial year is from a joint health and social security budget. In some cases, expenditure has been apportioned where consultants have been engaged on both health and social security matters. The figures include some computer consultancy where this cannot be separately identified.
The information for years prior to 1984-85 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
- Year |£ million ------------------------------ 1984-85 |0.959 1985-86 |1.722 1986-87 |0.976 1987-88 |1.082 1988-89 |1.203 1989-90 |2.942 1990-91 |5.158 1991-92 |2.454
Unemployment Benefit
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have been disqualified from unemployment benefit for voluntary unemployment, broken down into categories of disqualification, in each year since 1987.
Mr. Jack : The information requested is in table 1.1 of "Unemployment Benefit Statistics--Quarterly Analysis of Decisions of Adjudication Officers", copies of which are in the Library.
Community Charge Benefit
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the net income at which community charge benefit runs out for the average community charge in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) inner London in 1991-92 for the family types (i) a single person aged under 25 years, (ii) a single person aged over 25 years, (iii) a pensioner couple, (iv) a single parent family with a child aged eight and (v) a married couple with two children aged four and six years.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is in the following table :
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Net Income at which entitlement to Community Charge Benefit
ceases
|Eng- |Scot- |Wales |Inner
|land |land |Lon-
|don
|£ |£ |£ |£
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Average community charge |252.00|253.00|121.00|219.00
Average weekly charge |4.82 |4.84 |2.31 |4.19
Maximum 80 per cent. benefit |3.86 |3.87 |1.85 |3.35
Single under 25 |61.85 |61.96 |48.49 |58.49
Single over 25 |70.35 |70.46 |56.99 |66.99
Pensioner couple 60 to 74 |134.56|134.76|107.83|127.83
Pensioner couple 75 to 79 |137.01|137.21|110.28|130.28
Pensioner couple 80 |139.86|140.06|113.13|133.13
Single parent child under 11 |121.70|121.81|108.34|118.34
Couple, two children under 11 |158.31|158.51|131.58|151.58
Notes:
1. The average community charge figures take account of the £140
reduction in charge levels, they do not however take account of
the community charge reduction scheme. The net income figures
given in the table will be lower if the average charges are
adjusted to take account of the average reduction under the
community charge reduction scheme.
2. People below pension age are assumed to be in employment and
subject to relevant earnings disregards.
3. Average weekly charge and maximum 80 per cent. benefit relate
to a single person, or each member of a couple.
Disablement Benefits
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were receiving severe disablement allowance at the last date for which figures are available ; and if he will break down the figures by sex and standard age cohorts.
Mr. Scott : The information as at 31 March 1990, the latest date for which information is available, is set out in the table :
|Male |Female
-------------------------------------
age under 20 |12,800 |9,300
20 to 24 |15,100 |11,500
25 to 29 |17,000 |10,600
30 to 34 |10,700 |12,500
35 to 39 |10,500 |13,200
40 to 44 |9,100 |18,400
45 to 49 |8,700 |16,600
50 to 54 |6,100 |22,100
55 to 59 |6,700 |27,500
60 to 64 |8,300 |19,000
65 and Over |7,400 |11,500
|-------|-------
all ages |112,400|172,200
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were receiving income support with a disability premium at the last date for which figures are available ; and if he will break down the figures by sex and standard age cohorts.
Miss Widdecombe : The available information is in tables 4.1 to 4.1C and 5.2 of the income support annual statistical inquiry for 1989, a copy of which is available in the Library.
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were receiving housing benefit with a disability premium at the last date for which figures are available ; and if he will break down the figures by sex and standard age cohorts.
Miss Widdecombe : At August 1990, the rent rebate and rent allowance case load of those aged less than 60 who
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were not getting income support, but who were allowed a disability, or severe disability premium was 155,000. The latest comparable figure, for May 1989, for those also in receipt of income support is 140,000. Above the age of 60 the higher pensioner premium is awarded in place of a disability premium. The figures cannot be cross- classified by sex or age.Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were receiving community charge benefit with a disability premium at the last date for which figures are available ; and if he will break down the figures by sex and standard age cohorts.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is not available.
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were receiving war disablement benefit at each rate at the last date for which figures are available ; and if he will break down the figures by sex and standard age cohorts.
Mr. Scott : The number of war disablement pensions in payment at 31 March 1991, was as follows :
Percentage |Number of
rate |pensions
---------------------------------
20 |76,611
30 |42,635
40 |23,860
50 |12,867
60 |9,132
70 |6,711
80 |6,200
90 |2,310
100 |11,714
|-------
Total |192,040
Information is not available on the breakdown of these figures by sex and standard age cohorts ; the number of war disablement pensioners by age is, however, as follows :
Age |Number of
|pensioners
----------------------------------
Under 20 |61
20-29 |1,381
30-39 |4,000
40-49 |9,543
50-59 |21,662
60-64 |14,967
65-69 |38,154
70-79 |85,042
80-89 |15,068
90 and over |2,162
|-------
Total |192,040
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were receiving mobility allowance at the last date for which figures are available ; and if he will break down the figures by sex and standard age cohorts.
Mr. Scott : The latest information at 18 April 1991 is in the table :
Age |Male |Female
------------------------------------
Up to 9 |5,450 |4,180
10 to 14 |4,880 |4,030
15 to 19 |5,590 |4,840
20 to 24 |7,840 |6,740
25 to 29 |8,990 |8,300
30 to 34 |9,200 |9,360
35 to 39 |10,610 |11,830
40 to 44 |15,840 |18,070
45 to 49 |19,970 |22,230
50 to 54 |29,050 |30,950
55 to 59 |44,650 |43,910
60 to 64 |67,600 |59,790
65 to 69 |69,190 |56,990
70 to 74 |22,420 |21,150
75 and over |1,610 |1,890
|-------|-------
|322,890|304,260
Benefits Agency
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total estimated cost of supplying Benefits Agency staff with uniforms ; and whether the cost of uniforms is being deducted from the benefit budgets of each local office.
Miss Widdecombe : The cost of supplying uniforms for Benefits Agency staff is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the agency.
He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the public information office.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total estimated cost of supplying Benefits Agency staff in Bradford with new uniforms.
Miss Widdecombe : The cost of supplying uniforms for Benefits Agency staff is a matter for Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency.
He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the public information office.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to ensure that all garments supplied to Benefits Agency staff will be made from cloth originating in the United Kingdom and made up by suppliers based in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement. Miss Widdecombe : Information concerning the supplies of garments to the Benefits Agency is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the public information office.
Attendance Allowance
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were receiving attendance allowance at each rate at the last date for which figures are available ; and if he will break down the figures by sex and standard age cohorts.
Mr. Scott : The information requested is in the table :
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Attendance allowances recipients at 31
March 1990
Figures are rounded (thousands)<1>
Age Higher rate Lower rate
|Male |Female|Male |Female
------------------------------------------
2-4 |4 |3 |6 |4
5-9 |7 |5 |11 |8
10-15 |6 |4 |10 |7
16-19 |3 |2 |5 |4
20-29 |7 |6 |13 |12
30-39 |5 |6 |10 |10
40-49 |6 |8 |10 |11
50-59 |9 |13 |14 |16
60-64 |9 |10 |13 |13
65-69 |11 |14 |16 |19
70-74 |12 |17 |17 |24
75-79 |15 |28 |22 |40
80+ |24 |105 |40 |139
|--- |--- |--- |---
Total |119 |223 |187 |307
<1> Estimated from a 100 per cent. count
of statistical records adjusted to
reflect estimates of the extent to which
they overstate the number of live cases.
Estimates for the older age groups are
particularly prone to error.
Invalidity Benefits
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were receiving invalid care allowance at the last date for which figures are available ; and if he will break down the figures by sex and standard age cohorts.
Mr. Scott : The information requested is in the table :
Invalid care allowance recipients
at 2 January 1991
All figures rounded
Age |Male |Female
------------------------------------
Under 20 |140 |430
20 to 24 |430 |2,600
25 to 29 |790 |8,380
30 to 34 |1,200 |14,280
35 to 39 |1,800 |15,440
40 to 44 |2,630 |17,140
45 to 49 |3,020 |14,970
50 to 54 |3,670 |15,050
55 to 59 |4,930 |15,570
60 to 64 |5,010 |6,230
65 and over |250 |-
|-------
Total |133,910
Note: Any discrepancies due to
rounding.
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were receiving invalidity benefit at the last date for which figures are available ; and if he will break down the figures by sex and standard age cohorts.
Mr. Scott : The total number of people receiving invalidity benefit at 31 March 1990, the latest date for which information is available, was 1,208,900. The table shows a breakdown by sex and standard age bands.
Thousands Age |Men |Women ------------------------------ All ages |916.8|292.1 Under 20 |0.1 |0.2 20 to 24 |5.1 |8.2 25 to 29 |16.8 |20.1 30 to 34 |24.3 |21.3 35 to 39 |30.9 |26.1 40 to 44 |53.5 |29.6 45 to 49 |63.8 |36.6 50 to 54 |108.2|53.6 55 to 59 |171.3|67.3 60 to 64 |266.2|29.1 65 and over |176.6|-
Home Visits
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what instructions he has issued to local offices about discontinuing home visits on a regular basis ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : Instructions issued to local offices concerning home visits are matters for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the public information office.
National Insurance
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the effect on Treasury revenues in 1991-92 of extending (a) employers' and (b) employee national insurance contributions to all taxable benefits in kind, assuming (i) the current structure of national insurance contributions and (ii) no ceiling on employee national insurance contributions.
Mr. Jack : The Inland Revenue estimates that the value of benefits in kind reported in the 1991-92 tax year in respect of directors and employees earning over £8,500 a year will be approximately £7.1 billion.
If employers' national insurance contributions were levied on this amount, the contribution yield would be around £750 million. Employees' contributions would amount to some £250 million if the upper earnings limit were maintained ; or £650 million if the ceiling were removed. All these figures assume payment by employer and employees at the highest "not contracted out" rate of national insurance contributions--10.4 per cent. for employers and 9 per cent. for employees.
However, tax-paying employers would be able to claim corporation tax or income tax relief which would reduce income to the Consolidated Fund.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the effect on Treasury revenues in 1991-92 and in a full year of abolishing the ceiling on (a) employees' national insurance contributions and (b) national insurance contributions for the self- employed.
Mr. Jack : If the ceiling for employees and self-employed national insurance contributions were abolished, it is estimated that contribution yield would increase in 1991-92 by some £2.2 billion and £0.2 billion respectively. In a full year the increase would be £2.5 billion and £0.5 billion respectively.
Overpayments Recovery Guide
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to whom his Department's manual, overpayments recovery guide, is circulated ; and if he will place a copy in the Library.
Mr. Jack : The administration of overpayments recovery is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief
Column 257
executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies of the reply will be placed in the Library and the public information office.Income Support
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the numbers of people at each of his Department's offices who are now having deductions made from their income support to cover the poll tax.
Miss Widdecombe : The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the public information office.
Benefits
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people claim each benefit payable (a) at each of the Nottingham social security offices and (b) in the United Kingdom.
Miss Widdecombe [pursuant to her reply on 27 March at column 449] : I regret that the figure quoted for severe disability allowance (SDA) in Great Britain as 382,600 was incorrect and should have been shown as 256,600.
Pensioner Couples
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of new basic pensioner couples who are no longer entitled to income support because of the recent rise in basic pension ; and what is the average amount that their income is above the required level.
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 22 April 1991] : The estimated number of pensioner couples who are no longer entitled to income support following the recent uprating is 10,000 of which 5,000 were in receipt of the income support ordinary pensioner premium. However, had income support levels for pensioner couples of all ages continued to exceed full basic retirement pension levels, only around 1,000 of these would have retained their entitlement. The average amount by which weekly income exceeds current benefit levels for pensioner couples who are no longer entitled to income support is estimated to be 69p.
Pensioners whose incomes are above the level of income support can, of course, claim other benefits such as housing benefit or community charge benefit. They can also apply for help with optical, dental and other charges under the NHS low income scheme.
Source : Modelled using data drawn from the 1989 annual statistical inquiry, uprated to 1990-91 prices and benefit levels.
DEFENCE
Aldermaston
Sir Michael McNair-Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the release of tritium at AWE Aldermaston in February ; whether there was any danger to the population living around the establishment ; and if he will make a statement on the adequacy of the present effectiveness of the monitoring equipment.
Column 258
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : A small quantity of tritium--some 27 terabecquerels--was accidentally released on 19 February 1991. The highest dose which could have been received by any member of the public was much less than 1 microSievert, several thousand times smaller than the average annual dose to the United Kingdom public from all background sources. There was therefore no danger to the local population or effect on the environment. The effectiveness of monitoring equipment at AWE was well demonstrated by the fact that it picked up these extremely low levels.
Defence Workers (Radiation)
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (1) pursuant to his answer of 11 March, Official Report , column 411 , if he will now provide a breakdown for (i) Rosyth dockyard, (ii) Devonport dockyard, (iii) Aldermaston atomic weapons establishment, (iv) Coulport RNAD and (v) the Faslane submarine base, of individual radiation dose exposures for workers in the bands (a) 0 to 10, (b) 10 to 15, (c) 15 to 20, (d) 20 to 30, (e) 30 to 40 and (f) greater than 40 mSv for the year 1990 ;
(2) if he will give a breakdown for (a) HMS Neptune and (b) HMS Defiance of individual radiation dose exposures for individuals in the bands (i) 0 to 10, (ii) 10 to 15, (iii) 15 to 20, (iv) 20 to 30, (v) 30 to 40 and (vi) greater than 40 mSv for the year 1990.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I will write to the hon. Member.
Wind Power
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress achieved to date in his Department's wind power research programme.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : This is a matter for the Defence Research Agency under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive of the DRA, Mr. Nigel Hughes, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
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